Hyderabad : The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) has expressed deep sorrow at the passing away of senior journalist and trade union leader Devendra Chintan and conveyed condolences to the bereaved family.
A tireless journalist who kept writing till the last breath, Devendra Chintan, 86 died in Delhi on Monday after a brief illness. He is survived by wife and a son and daughter. His son is also a senior journalist. The body of Devendra Chintan has been handed over to a medical college according to his wish.
In a statement K. Sreenivas Reddy, President, Balwinder Singh Jammu, Secretary General of IJU paid rich tributes to the veteran trade unionist. Com. Chintan was one of the editorial board members of Scribes News magazine.
Devendra Chintan was born in Jammu in a family with RSS background. He not only studied RSS literature but also left ideology and decided to be a leftist after meeting Comrade Dhanwantri who was a close associate of revolutionary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh during his Jammu University days. He became active in student politics and from that period always stood for secularism and social upliftment of deprived classes.
After completing MA in Jammu University Com. Chintan decided to be an activist journalist ethical values in journalism. He started his career with the Caravan in 1962 and in the long innings he worked with several newspapers including Indian Express, The Tribune of Chandigarh. His last appointment was as editor foreign affairs, in the Business and Political Observer.
A former member of Press Council of India and an active member of Indian Journalists Union Com. Chintan prepared the over 500 page charter of demands of journalists on behalf of IJU for Justice Manisana Singh Wage Board.
Com. Chintan was a fighter for the rights of working class. He also headed textile workers and Safai Karamchri unions in Delhi and led a number of successful strikes.
